Secret Picnic Spots in County Parks

Celebrate International Picnic Day with a nice meal in the great outdoors! Here are a few secret picnic spots across San Diego County, as recommended by our very own park rangers.

The County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR)
oversees some 50,000 acres of parks, historic sites and open space
preserves. From North County to South County, and the coast to the
desert, there’s a park within 20 minutes of nearly every residence in
the region – even better, there are literally hundreds of established
picnic spots that are ideal for a meal outdoors.

If you’re planning to spend some quality time in the countryside
this weekend, we encourage you to try something new... Here’s a list
of some lesser-known picnic spots which are on our rangers’ must-see list.

Along Old Highway 80 in El Cajon sits Flinn
Springs County Park, a 95-acre day-use park with
features for kids, athletes, brides – even birders! Pull up a seat for
1 – 500; accommodation is one of this park’s strong suits. Another
benefit of Flinn is its small collection of semi-private picnic
tables, like the one in this picture.

Head over to Lakeside to enjoy a little history with your PB&J… El
Monte County Park is one of the oldest in the County
Parks system, equipped with five prohibition-era cement picnic tables.
Each table dons a plaque bearing the names of early land-owners and
community stewards.

Enjoy your next alfresco dining experience under a canopy of ancient
oaks, in a boathouse, or on a historic stage… Customize your own park
experience within some of our favorite spaces!